U.S.A. – The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board staff has recommended approval of the operating permit for the proposed Huntington Beach desalination project. The Regional Board issued a staff report recommending approval of a tentative order making amendments to and renewing its operating permit first issued in 2006 for the proposed desalination project. The proposed permit finds that there is an identified need for the 189,270 m3/d desalinated water the Huntington Beach project will provide. The draft permit also incorporates Poseidon Water’s proposal for the long-term preservation, enhancement and restoration of the 1,500-acre Bolsa Chica Wetlands. The board is scheduled to consider its staff-prepared permit and recommendation on July 30, 2020. (PR Newswire)
AUSTRALIA – SA Water announced that the proposed desalination plant at Sleaford Bay will be located further away from Sleaford Mere and whale aggregation areas. SA Water purchased land at the bay in 2018 to build a desalination plant that would supply the region. The site was close to Sleaford Mere Conservation Park and Sleaford Bay, a popular whale watching area. SA Water stated that after extensive community engagement and cultural heritage and technical investigations, the final site selection will prioritise minimising impact on native vegetation and visual amenity, and be positioned further away from Sleaford Mere and whale aggregation areas. According to a Sleaford Bay resident, the local Sleaford community is pleased with SA Water’s decision. Construction of the desalination plant is expected to begin in the first half of 2021. (ABC News)
MEXICO – Baja California’s state water commission (CEA), announced that it had decided to cancel the $453 million Playas de Rosarito desalination plant near Tijuana city. According to the authorities the project is not financially viable, adding that the local government would have to pay $7.75 million a month over the next few years to pay for the 380,160 m3/d plant. The state’s infrastructure and urban development ministry, SIDURT, revealed that it decided to cancel the construction of the $39.9 million costing 21,600 m3/d San Quitin desalination plant near El Rosario as well. According to local news site El Vigia no reason was provided and neither the government nor the project developer has officially confirmed the decision. Both projects were inherited from previous administrations and construction had been on hold for years. (BNamericas)
The Quench Sea, a portable handheld desalination device using manual power. Credit: Quench Sea
U.K. – Quench Sea, a handheld desalination device, has surpassed its funding goal on crowdfunding site Indiegogo by over 700 percent. The desalination unit will now go into full production and the first units are expected to ship in February 2021 at a cost of $61. Quench Sea is donating one device to humanitarian projects such as Project Maji for every device bought during its crowdfunding campaign. The company is aiming to donate over 100 million units by 2027. The handle-powered unit fits into a small bag and has the capacity to produce 0.072 m3/d drinking water. (PR Newswire)